Apparatus for relieving grounded vessels.



No. 727,059. 'PATENTED MAY 5,1903. G. E. BALGH. APPARATUS PoR RELIBVINGGROUNDED vEssELs.

. APPLIoATmN rum) nov.. 3.1902.

xo Holm.. -a sHnnTs-snnn'r 1.

No. 727,059. PATBNTBD MAY 5, 1903. G. E. BALGH. APPARATUS FOB RELIEVINGGROUNDED VESSELS.-

APPLIoATIoN FILED Nov. a, 1902. no uonm.. s suns-snm 2.

Inventor; Glen EBaICh Wllnesses No. 727,059. PATENTED MAY 5, 190s.

G. E. BALGH. Y A

Y' APPARATUS FOR RBLIEVINGGBOUNDED VBSSELS.

ArrLIoATIoN FILED Nov. a'. 1902.

s sums-'SHEET a.

110 MODEL.

-14 r6 16,- t.l 15 h UNITED STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GLEN E. BALoH, oF NEWv YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,059, dated May 5,1903- Application iiled November 3 1902 Serial No. 129,825. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLEN E. BALCH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of New York city, borough of Richmond, in thecounty of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Relieving Grounded Vessels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide vessels, and particularly steamvessels-and dredges which carry motivepower either for propulsion or fordredging, with a jet apparatus consisting of a system of nozzlesdownwardly opening along the bottom of the vessel, by which a shoalbelow the vessel can be scoured away when the vessel is in danger ofgrounding or has become grounded.

One detail of the invention relates to the installation of the system ofnozzles at fixed points along the bottom ofthe vessels.

Another detail of the invention 'relates to the installation of thenozzles so that they project downwardly through the bottom of thevessel. The nozzles are supplied through a branched system of pipesinside the hull, and valves are provided at suitable points in thesystem for regulating the number and location of the nozzles which-'itmay be desirable to use at any one time. The apparatus is thus made apermanent part of the outfit of the Vessel and is always in position forimmediate use, so that any shoal over which it may be necessary toanchor while dredging can be scoured away as the dredging progresses andthe vessel becomes loaded with dredged material and sinks vlower in thewater.

Another detail of the invention, which is in connection with its use ona dredge, relates to the installation of each nozzle with an inclinedrelation to the bottom of the vesselwhere it is located, the inclinationbeing in the direction of the dredging apparatus, so that the dredgingapparatus will assist the nozzle by removing the material which isscoured by the nozzle andthe: nozzle will assist the dredgingapparatusby supplying material to the dredging apparatus.

Another detail of the invention, which is more particularly inconnection with a passenger or freight vessel, relates to thecombination of a valve with each nozzle, the valve having an extensionthat is flush with the mouth of the nozzle when the valve is closed. Themouth of the nozzle is also flush with the outside of the hull, therebypresenting a smooth surface to the water, so that the nozzle will notimpair the speed of the vessel.

In further explanation of the invention reference will be made to theaccompanying three sheets of drawings, which form a part of thisapplication, and inwhich- Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section `througha suction-dredge provided with my invention, the section being taken onthe line x' 5c of Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Fig. 2 is a plan of the dredge,showing the engine-floors, together with engines, boilers, piping forthe dredging apparatus, and pump and mains for supplying the nozzles.Fig. 3 is a horizontal plan of the dredge with the engines andengineiloors removed, showing the nozzles and pipe system by which thenozzles are supplied. Fig. t is a vertical cross-section through thedredge onthe line :r4 x4 of Figs. l, 2, and 3 looking in the directionof the arrows adjoining the section lines. Fig. 5 shows a combined valveand nozzlebroken away on the line m5 x5 of Figs. 6. Fig. 6 shows a frontelevation of a valve and nozzle.

The drawings illustrate my invention in connection with a dredge of thecenter-suction type. The .ldredgev isprovided with a suction-pipe l,which is hinged in a well through the middle of the vessel and has anopen lower end forming the suction-head. The suction-pipe is loweredagainst the bank of material to be excavated Apowert'ul pump 2 draws inthe water with such rapidity that the material in front of thesuction-head will be drawn through the. pump and discharged throughpipes 3 into pockets 4c, carried by the dredge. As the pockets are beinglled the surplus Water overiows into spillways 5 and is discharged atthe side ofV the hull. The solid materialsettlesin the pockets and isdischarged through openings through the bottom of the hull. Theseopenings are closed by valves 6, which are controlled frompressure-cylinders 7 ,and are opened when the dredge is in deep water,where it is desired IOO to discharge itsload. The dredge is providedwith engines 8, which operate the propellers 9 for its propulsion, andWith steam-boilers 10, from which steam is supplied to the engines andpumps. It is desirable at times to excavate at the edge of a bank overwhich there is not suiicient depth to float the dredge when fullyloaded. With this style of dredge in order to bring the suction-headinto position against the ban'k to be excavated part of the hull mustoverlie the bank and Will rest on the bottom before the pockets arefilled. This necessitates a premature discharge of part or all of theload in order to relieve the dredge, To prevent such grounding of thedredge, nozzles 1l are fixed at intervals inside the hull to allportions of the bottom of the dredge at all remote from thesuction-head. These open downwardly through the bottom of the hull. Theyare supplied from a pump 12,*Which draws in Water through suctionpipes13 and delivers it through a system of piping consisting of mains 14With branches l5 to the nozzle, several nozzles being connected to eachbrauch. Gate-valves 16 are provided in each branch pipe, by which the'supply to all the nozzles in the branch can be simultaneously regulated.For further convenience plunger-valves 17, by which the nozzles canbecontrolled singly, are seated opposite the mouth of each nozzle. Theplunger-valves are operated through levers 18, which project throughslots 19 in the Iioors of the engine-rooms. The mouth of each nozzle isflush with the outside of the hull, and the valve is provided with anextension 20, which projects int-o the nozzle when the valve is closedand is flush With the mouth, thereby leaving the hull free fromanyirregularity that would impede the progress through the Water. Thisfeature is particularly applicable to vessels in which speed isimportant. The nozzles are preferably set at a slight inclination Withrespect to the walls of the hull through which they pass, and thisinclination is made in case of a dredge in the direction of the dredgingapparatus. Hence in the centersuction dredge illustrated in the drawingsthe nozzles forward of the suction-head have their mouths inclined aft,those nozzles aft of the suction-head are forwardly inclined, and thoseat either side of the suction-head are inclined amidships, so thatsuchmaterial as may be dislodged by thejet from any nozzle will be driven inthe direction of the suctionhead. In connection with dredging thenozzles are used to prevent the grounding of the dredge as it becomesloaded by scouring the material from under the portion of the hull whichis in danger of grounding. As the dredge fills up and settles into closeproximity to the bottom jets are started in as many nozzles as the pumpcan supply in that portion ot' the hull which is in'danger of grounding,and the nozzles are started in turn until the bank is sufficientlyscoured away under the dredge, so that the dredge can be ioated intodeep water when it is loaded. The downstreamnozzles are opened first inorder to obtain as much assistance as possible from the tide or currentsin Washing away the scoured material. In connection With passenger orfreight vessels the nozzles are used to relieve them when they havegrounded on sand, gravel, or. mud bottoms.A The jets are started in turnWhenever the vessel is found to be grounded, and the material under thevessel is scoured away in the same manner as in preventing grounds.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

l, The combination With a vessel, of a dredging apparatus, means foroperating the dredging apparatuspockets carried by the vessel forreceiving the dredged material, a system otdownwardly-openingjet-nozzles at fixed points along the bottom of thevessel, and means for supplying the nozzles, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a vessel, of a dredging apparatus, means foroperating the dredging apparatus, pockets carried by the vessel forreceiving the dredged material, a system of downwardly-openingjet-nozzles at fixed points along the bottom of the vessel, and a pumpfor supplying the nozzles, substantially as described.

3. The vcombination with a vessel, of a dredging apparatus, means foroperating the dredging apparatus, pockets carried by the vessel forreceiving the dredged material, a system of downwardly-openingjet-nozzles Within the vessel and connected to openings through thebottom of the vessel, and means for supplying the nozzles, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination With a vessel, of a suction dredging apparatus, meansfor operating the dredging apparatus, pockets carried by the vessel forreceiving the dredged material, a system of downwardly-openingjet-nozzles Within the vessel and connected With openings through thebottom of the vessel, and a pump for supplying the nozzles,substantially as described.

The combination with a dredge', of a dredge-hull, a suction-headsupported from the dredge-hull, a pump connected to the suction-head,pockets carried by the dredge-hull for receiving the dredged material, asystem of downwardly-opening jet-nozzles opening through the dredge-hulland supported thereby independently of the suction-head, a system ofbranched pipes Within the hull and connected to the nozzles, valves inthe branches, and means for supplying the system, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with a dredge, of a dredge-hull, a suction-headsupported from the dredge-hull, a pump connected to the suction-head,pockets carried by the dredge-hull for receiving the dredged material, asystem of downwardly-opening jet-nozzles opening through the dredge-hulland supported there- IOO IIO

by independently of the suction-head, a system of branched pipes withinthe h ull and connected to the nozzles, valves in the branches, and apump for supplying the system, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a dredge, of a dredge-hull, a dredging apparatussupported from the dredge-hull, means for operating the dredgingapparatus, a-system of downwardlyopening jet-nozzles within thedredge-hull and supported thereby independently of the dredgingapparatus and inclined in the direction of the dredging apparatus, andmeans for supplying the nozzles, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a dredge, of a dredge-hull, a suction-headsupported from the dredge-hull, means for operating the suction-head, asystem of downwardly-opening jet-nozzles opening through the dredge-hulland supported thereby independently'of the suction-head and inclined inthe direction ofV the suction-head, and means for supplying the nozzles,substantially as described.

9. The combination with a dredge, of a dredging apparatus, means foroperating the dredging apparatus, a system of downwardlyopeningjet-nozzles supported from the dredge independently of the dredgingapparatus and inclined in the direction of the dredging ap- `directionof the suction-head, and a pump for supplying the nozzles, substantiallyas described.

11. The combination with a jet-nozzle, of a Valve-seat opposite thenozzle, and a Valve with an extension into the nozzle and flush with thevmouth thereof when the valve is seated, substantially as described.

12. The combination withv a Vessel, of a jetnozzle through the hull ofthe vessel having its mouth Vflush with the outside surface ofl thehull, a valve-seat opposite the nozzle, and f a valve with an extensioninto the nozzle and liush'with the mouth thereof when the valve isseated, substantially as described.-

Signedby me in the city of New York, Manhattan, New York, this 30th dayof October, 1902.

GLEN E. BALCH.

Witnesses: Y

vSAMUEL W. BALGH, GEO. L. WHEELOCK.

